Automatic safety gate



Oct. 27, 1925- .350

F. W. MUCHMORE AUTOMATIC SAFETY GATE Filed Jan. 27, 1922 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 Oct. 7, F. W. MUCHMORE AUTOMATIC SAFETY GATE Filed Jan. 27, 1922 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Patented Oct. 27, 1925.

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

FREDERICK W. MUCHMORE, OF PHILADELPHIA, PENNSYLVANIA; WALTER R. FARIES,

ADMINISTRATOR OF FREDERICK W. MUCHMORE, DECEASED, ASSIGNOR TO W- WAYNE MUCHMO'RE. OF BOSTON, MASSACHUSETTS.

AUTOMATIC SAFETY GATE.

Application filed January 27, 1922. Serial No. 532,218.

To aZZ whom it may concern:

Be it known that: I, Fnnnnmon lV. Moorl- MORE, a citizen of the United States, residing in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, have invented an Automatic Safety 6 ate, of which the following is a specification.

This invention relates to automatic and electrically-operated safety gates for rail road crossings.

The object of the invention is to provide an automatic and electrically-operated safety gate particularly adapted for use in connection with toy railroad systems, it being understood, however, that the device in principle may be made to meet the requirements of regular railroad conditions.

In the attached drawings:

Figure 1, is a side elevation of the operating mechanism of the device;

Fig. 2, is a section on the line 2-2, Fig. 1;

Fig. 3, is a fragmentary section illustrating details of the mechanism;

Fig. 4, is a small side elevation of the gate;

Fig. 5, is a wiring diagram of the device;

Fig. 6, is a side elevation of one of the switch elements;

Fig. 7. is a plan view of the element;

Fig. 8, is a front elevation of the switch device of Figs, 6 and 7 illustrating the method of attachment to the rail and the method of operation;

Fig. 9, is a side elevation of the other of the contact elements, and

Fig. 10, is a view similar to Fig. 8, illustrating the switch element of Fig. 9 as applied to the rail.

lVith reference to the drawings, the device comprises a base 1, upon which is mounted a casing 2. \Vithin the casing and near the top thereof is mounted a horizontal shaft 3, which shaft is established in bearings formed at one end in the side of the easing 2 itself, and at the opposite end in a cross piece at extending between the opposite sides of the casing. As best shown in Figs. 3 and 4, the shaft 3 extends through the sides of the casing 2, and is provided with means at its outer ends for securing thereto the forked arms 5, 5, of a gate 6 of the usual construction. As clearly shown, the arms 5, 5, of the gate 6 are provided at their rear ends with suitable weights 7, 7, which are sutiiciently heavy to overbalance the forward end of the gate and, except when unler restraining influence, to elevate it to a substantially upright position. It will be apparent that the gate may be of considerably diti'erent form from that illustrated, and that other than the means illustrated may be employed to secure the gate to the shaft.

Fixed to the shaft 13 near its center is an arm 8, at the outer end of which is a curved lateral extension 9, the outer face of which is more or less concentric with the shaft 3, said extension 9 being disposed at right angles to the shaft, as clearly illustrated. Secured to the outer face of the extension 9 is a flexible element or band 10, which is attached at its lower end to a plunger 11 of a solenoid 52, which latter is vertically mounted within the casing 2, as best shown in Fig. 1, said band in the present instance being retained between forks 12, 12, at the upper end of the plunger by means of a cotter or other pin 13.

A plate 11 is provided at the top of the solenoid, upon which is mounted upon a vertical pivot pin 15 an armature 16, which armature is adapted to engage with its outer free end a flexible contact element 17, which latter together with a second contact element 18 is mounted upon a plate 19 of insulating material supported upon the plate 14. As previously stated, the contact element 17 is resilient, and normally assumes a position separated from the contact ele ment 18, as shown in Fig. 2. \Vhen the solenoid 52 is energized, however, in a manner to be described hereinafter, the armature 16 is drawn towards the center of the solenoid and the magnetized plunger 11, and in this inward movement flexes the contact element 17 into engagement with the element 18. The natural resiliency of the element 17 is suflicient to separate it from the element when the solenoid is deenergized.

As previously stated, the weights 7 at the rear of the gate 6 are sufficiently heavy normally to retain the gate in a substantially upright position, these weights being sufticiently heavy also to counteract the weight of the plunger 11, which accordingly in the normal position and when the solenoid .52 is deencrgized is suspended in an elevated position, in which it is partially retracted from the said solenoid. It will now be apparent that upon ei'iergization of the solenoid, there follows the sucking in of the. plunger 11, with the consequent depression or lowering of the gate ti to a horizontal position, as shown in Fig. l, and also by reason of the movement of the armature 16, the bringing together of the contact elements 17 and 18 from their normally separated position.

Also mounted within the casing i2 is an electric hell apparatus comprising the usual pair of electromagnets 20 and 21, which magnets, when energized, tend to attract an armature :32, to which is secured by means of a suital'ile stem 23 a clapper 24', which latter, when the armature is attracted or drawn to the magnets 2()--21, is brought into contact with a hell mounted in the top of the casii'ig The bell apparatus further comprises the usual contact element 26, which is secured to the armature 22 and which, when the latter is drawn to the magnets 2t)-21 is withdrawn from the contact element 2?, which it normally engages, these elements 26 and 27 providing the necessary circuit hrealtcr required for operation of the hell.

As shown in Figs. 1 and 2, the hase 1 is provided with three sets or pairs of binding posts iltl fll, 2233 and ill -35, which binding posts are electrically connected to the elements of the apparatus, the method of wiring hcing best illustrated by means of the wiring diagram shown in Fig. 5. it will he notcd in this diag am that the terminals 2%!) and fi t are connected by two parallel lines respectively including the solenoid 52 and the elcctromagnets ilt fll of the hell appa ratus It will also he noted that the contact element 1? lso is connected to the binding post ill by means of two parallel lines respectively including also the solenoid 52 and the magnets Qt ZI. it will further be noted that the binding post 31 and the terminal 18 are ea h direct connected to the terminal 32, while the terminal 33 is direct connected to the terminal 2.3.

In practice. the terminals 34 and 35 are connected with a suitable source 36 of electrical energy, while the terminals 230 31 and 3:35;} are each connected with a switch mechanism adapted to be secured in a posi tion to be actuated by the wheels of a train passing over the tracks, in connection with which the safety gate is employed.

The switch element 37, which is connected to the terminals 30-3L is normall open, as illustrated in Figs. 6. 7 and 8. 1 s clearly illustrated in these figures, this element comrises a base 88, upon which are mounted two contact elements 39 and 40, the latter being positioned above the former and being of a resilient nature to permit it being dc pressed from the normal separated position, as shown in Fig. 6, into contact with the element 39.

The device further comprises means such as the fixed clamp 41 and a set screw 4: 2 mounted in a bracket -13) attached to the base 38 for securing the device to a rail, shown in broken lines in Fig. 8, and designated hy the reference numeral 11, the device being in this manner clamped in a position such that the flange 45 on the wheel 46 ot a train passing over the tracks will engage the top of the resilient arm 10 and force it downwards into engagement with the element 39.

The switch 4-7 with which the terminals 32 and 33 are connected comprises on the other hand mounted upon a base 4-8, a pair of contact elements 49 and 50, which normally are in engagement, shown in Fig. 9, the arrangement of this switch, which in essential respects is similar to the switch 87, being such that the element 50 in being depressed hy the flange 45 is disengaged from the element 49, thereby breaking the contact. It will now he seen that whereas normally the binding posts 30 31 are not connected, the hindin posts anc 33 are normally connected t trough the normally closed switch 47. In attaching the device, the switch 37 is connected to the rails on that side of the crossing from which the train approaches, the switch 17 heing upon the opposite side of the crossing.

The operation of the device is as follows:

The train armroaching the crossing closes the switch 37 in the at'orcdescrihed manner, this having the ctl ect of connecting the solenoid In and the bell apparatus in parallel with the source of current 36. St rting for example with the terminal 34 with which one side of the source 36 is connected, the solenoid circuit comprises a conductor leading to the solenoid, a conductor connecting the solenoid with the terminal 80, the switch 3?, which is closed, and which thereby connects the terminals 3) and 31,31 conductor 5')? connecting the terminal 31 with the terminal 32. the switch 47, which is closed. and which thereby connects the terminals 32 and 3? and a conductor 58 passing from the terminal 33 to the terminal 35, which latter is connected to the opposite side of the source oi electrical energy 36. The hell circuit includes a conductor 59 passing from the ter minal 34 to one side of the belt, a conductor 60 connecting the other side of the hell to the terminal 30, switch 37, conductor 57. switch 4-7, and conductor 55% to the terminal 85. The magnetization of the plunger 11 attracts the a-rmature 16, which latter in mov ing brings the elements 1718 into contact, thereby short-circniting the conductors 56 and 57 and maintaining closed both the solenoid and hell circuits after the train has passed over the switch 37 and the latter has.

assumed its normally open position. The gate (3. as previously described, is closed or brought to a horizontal position immediately upon the energization of the solenoid and is maintained in this horizontal position so long as the solenoid remains energized. Both the solenoid and the bell circuits, however, are maintained through the normally closed switch 47, and when after passing a crossing the train reaches the position of and opens this switch 47. both the solenoid and bell circuits are broken. The gate (3 is imn'iediately elevated by the weights 7, T, to an upright position and the ringing of the bell 52;": discontinued.

It will be apparent that considerable modification is possible with no departure from the essential features of the invention, and that further the electrical apparatus herein described may find application to the operation of other than satety gates. such, for example. as semaphores or other signals.

I claim:

1. The combination with a housin of a shaft journaled in the housing, a solenoid operatively connected with and constituting motor means for rocking the shaft, :1 source of electrical energy, a switch controlling the connection between the solenoid and said source. a second switch controlling an independent circuit including the source of energy and the solenoid. and a mechanical connection between the solenoid and said tirst switch for closing said switch when the solenoid is energized by the independent circuit and adapting the mechanism tor compact assemblage within said housing.

2. The combination with a housing. of a shaft journaled in the housing. a solenoid opcratively connected with and constituting motor means for rocking the shaft. a source of electrical energy, a switch controlling the connection between the solenoid and said source, a second switch in series with the first, a third switch controlling an independent circuit including the source of energy and the solenoid. and a mechanical connection between the solenoid and said tirst switch for closing said switch when the solenoid is energized by said independent circuit and adapting the mechanism for con'lpact assemblage within the housing.

3. The combination with a casing, of a shaft journalcd in the casing, an arm carried by the shaft externally of the casing, a solenoid in the -asing operatiyely connected with and constituting motor means for rocking the shaft. a source of electrical energy. a switch inside the'casing controlling the connection between the solenoid and said source. a mechanical connection between the solenoid and switch adapted to close the switch when the solenoid is energized. and a second switch exterior of the casing and controlling an independent circuit including the source of energy and the solenoid.

l. The combination with a casing, of a shaft journaled in the casing, a solenoid in the casing, a drum on the shaft, a flexible connector secured to the said drum and to the plunger of the solenoid whereby actnation of the latter rocks the shatt. a source ot' electrical energy, a switch in the casing controlling the connection between the solenoid and the said source, a mechanical connection between the solenoid and the switch adapted when the solenoid is energized to close the switch. and a second switch outside of said casing controlling an independent circuit including the source of energy and the solenoid.

FREDERICK \Y. MUCHMORE. 

